A Senior Recital

I have been lucky enough to be invited to Brianna Finkelstein 's Senior Recital at the University of Arizona Holsclaw Hall.  I have know Brrianna since she went around on her mothers hip. It does not seem possible to me that she has graduated from the U of A.  This is her last performance in Tucson before she heads off to grad school to continue her studies in oboe.  

The program includes Oboe Sonata in G Minor, S 1020 with Allergo, Adagio and Allegro, Attributed: C.P.E. Bach.  Overheard on a Saltmarsh by Erin Goad.  three Romanzen, op,94 by Robert Schumann, Nicht Schnell 1 and 3. Finishing off with Fantaisie on Flotow's Martha, Op. 23 by  T. Lalliet 

I really enjoyed the piece Overheard on a Saltmarsh.  The only way I can really describe it was that the music flowed like silk in amazing colors of sound.  The English Horn played by Rachael Kamradt added a wonderful layer of texture to the music.  

Meily Mendez was wonderful on the Harpsichord and Piano.  She showed mastery and passion in her music. Although I do have to say that Brianna stole the show.   Brianna showed both mastery and grace while playing the Oboe.  She coxed a full range of notes from her Oboe.   All in all it was a very enjoyable evening.  If you ever have the opportunity to hear Brianna, Meily or Rachael in concert please take the time to enjoy a few hours of wonderful music. I am quite certain that Brianna will make the world a better place where ever her life leads her.  

Spinning Styles

I was taught to spin by the wonderful Kathy Withers and I really enjoy spinning. I aspire to be as creative as Kathy someday. I learned even more from the Journey to the Golden Fleece, I learned to get more creative. Although typical me, I did not finish the paper work. The yarn I learned to spin is gorgeous.

I really enjoy playing with fiber and seeing what develops. I find it calming. I find spinning relaxing.  I enjoy creating new yarns. I enjoy weaving and knitting with my handspun yarn. I have even mastered lace weight yarn on my spinning wheel, not just the drop spindle.  

I have learned to wash, card and comb my fiber from raw fleece.  I love to pull out my drum carder to create special batts to spin on occasion. I found that I prefer to send my raw fiber to Spinderella's Fiber Mill.  I do not need to process my fiber from fleece to yarn for every project. They also have a special needs adult child at home that requires full time care like Eric. I feel it is right to support those in my community that keep their children home like John and I do. 

That is why I don't like the trend by some in my local spinning community to master every spinning style from worsted to silk thread. Don't get me wrong I find learning something new everyday is essential.  To buy the raw fleeces, skirt, wash, and do everything including dying the fiber.  Then to do this with every project. It is not that I am lazy, but have a finite number of hours to play with fiber.  

Its not that I don't enjoy learning new things, but the constant push is just to much sometimes.  I do not feel the need to take classes on a weekly basis.  I do not need to become a master spinner. I am not going to become a professional teacher.  I prefer to be an artist. My need to create and relax are my priority.  I hope that this is the right track for me. I wonder what my fellow spinners feel about this.

Please feel free to use the links that I have provided to find some wonderful fiber people. The opinion's are my own and I have not been paid to include these links in my blog. I trust and like these businesses. I have also not asked for permission to include these links, so if you see blank spots in the future, it is because I have been asked to take down the link. 

My Fitbit

For those of you who know how much I love my Fitbit, you will understand why I was upset when I found out this afternoon that the battery died sometime yesterday.  I never received notice on my email that the battery was running low. 

Even though my numbers don't show it today I did a fantastic 55 minute workout today with biking, stairs and rowing. Well there is always tomorrow's work out. 

Have a great weekend everyone. Try to stay dry and safe. 

What Makes Us Good Mothers

With Mothers Day just over in the United States it brings yesterday's encounter even more revelant.  It always amazes me that whenever people learn about Eric and ask if he has any siblings.  When I say yes, the look I always get is should I ask her about her other child?  Some people start out by asking if they are in the same day program. Other just want to know if she still lives at home too.  Yet all are stunned to find out that Teri is a Copyright Attorney in California.  Like how is this possible?  

Motherhood gives each mother a unique opportunity to interact with each child as an individual. I have found that both my child are very unique. My children are polar opposites.  My job as a mother has been to help Teri and Eric each reach their unique potential in an optimal way for their learning style.  

Since Eric was about 6 months old I have always stressed to Teri, that Eric is her brother and not her responseability.  I have always stressed that mom and dad are responsible for the care of both Teri and her brother.  That Teri's job in life is to be the best possible Teri possible, even if it meant leaving Eric behind at times.  In that endeavor Teri has exceeded what I thought was possible.

Each child has made my life so much better in their own unique way. Eric has helped me learn patience. Teri has help me learn to dig deeper for the answers, although on technical issues I am quite sure she hates the line "wait until your father comes home".  Eric has helped me find the time to knit 100's of warm winter items for kids in need. Teri has taken me to England and Italy, which were life time dreams of mine. I would still like to go again and explore some more.  It is not possible now.  Eric has taken me to our nations capital and explore all the history, something that I have dreamed of doing.  Yes each has given me so much. 

I guess in my own meandering way I am trying to say thank you to my 2 increadable kids. They along with John have made my life so rich. For that I am very thankful. 

The Last of the Week

As I write this post load number 30 of the week is in the dryer.  I am thankful that this week of sheer laundry madness is almost over.  I am also thankful that I did not run out of Tide Unscented this week. Just to let you know the wonderful people at Proctor and Gamble did not pay for this blog post and all the opinions are my own.  However, I am grateful for the Tide coupons in my Sunday Arizona Daily Star and the sales on Tide that occur about the same time. 

I know with Eric being sick, that I had a few extra loads of laundry this week. This is a picture of just 2 days worth of laundry for Eric when he is feeling good.  Yes he did go through 5 night time t-shirts in 2 days. That is just Eric. Also if I did not wash the dozen bibs, I would have had a whole lot more laundry to do.  Every bib saves me from washing 1 additional outfit. 

I hope to do a few less loads of laundry next week and spend more time creating. 

Over 800 Yards

I just finished spinning and plying over 800 yards of Merino, Alpaca and Silk today.  Now what should I do with it?  

25

Today is only Wednesday and I hit the 25 loads of laundry mark. I know part of this was do to Eric being sick, yes he made 4 loads in under an hour on Monday night. So I asked Eric if he could possibly slow down his laundry production for the rest of the week and all he did was laugh at me. I think that he is taking his job of being the chief laundry maker a bit too seriously this week.

You would think by the amount of laundry that I am doing this week that I either had a larger family of a small washtub. Sadly neither is the case. There are only 3 of us at home and I have the largest washtub in my machine that Whirlpool made 20 years ago.

On a lighter note Eric is feeling better and is back on formula. His fever is also down below the 100 mark, the 1st time since Monday night. With Eric feeling better I also took the time to clean the stove and the kitchen like I should have done before Passover. Better late than never.

Well I think that I am finally unwinding form my busy day and week. So I think I will try to get some sleep.  It will be time to get my day going again in a little over 5 hours.